Dawn Jackson Blatner, the team’s nutrition consultant and author of The Superfood Swap, out December 27, shares how she fueled the Cubs for their stellar season.
Beets and kale
“The nitrates in these veggies open up blood vessels to get more oxygen to the brain and muscles.”
Matcha
The green tea naturally contains a compound called L-Theanine, “which helps keep you focused. So instead of coffee’s jittery energy, matcha gives more of a steady boost.” (Read about the best matcha in Chicago.)
Tart cherries and watermelon
They’re “the two things I’d tell anybody to have” to reduce inflammation and counteract soreness after a workout.
DIY Gatorade
A combo of water, orange juice, and sea salt mimic the carbs and electrolytes found in store-bought stuff. “I came up with that after I traveled with the team to the Dominican Republic, where they didn’t have all the sports drinks,” Blatner says. Another reason to make it yourself? “Sports drinks have a lot of crap in them.”